Starbucks in Cherwell

Coffee and cinnamon swirl very nice. BUT…gents toilets out of order, so used handicap toilet where the hand dryer did not work. AND… re-training definitely needed on hygiene behind the counter. Realised after I got my coffee that both the young lady on the till and the middle aged male barista had both picked up my cup by the top by putting two fingers into the cup. Very poor! I bet they weren’t taught to do that by Starbucks.

Modern large clean Starbucks. Staff very quick and pleasant. Drive Through closed. Variety of comfortable seating. Small enclosed area with table for about ten people could be good for family or small community meeting.

We use this café restaurant whenever we are northbound on the A34, it is in an ideal position for a refreshment break on a long drive as it is just before the M40. Due to Covid lockdown it has been a couple of years since we last visited. It has now been taken over by Starbucks and includes a drive through. The question has to be asked why provide a drive through on a major trunk route where the driver is not allowed to actually have a drink (at least not when driving!)? The building has been refurbished but is quite gloomy inside. Pleasant seating area outside if a bit noisy from the traffic. Coffee is okay and service was friendly enough. However, apart from plenty of ‘Covid’ signs the actual precautions were negligible. Only one sanitiser and that was difficult to find and not working. The toilets were out of order just to round things off. It gives every appearance of Starbucks seeing a guaranteed profit because of the location and they don’t want to spend anything on running costs. Stop if you have to.